No easy fixes for battered Swans: Campbell
Will Nicholas |
After languishing on the sidelines for the first four months of the season, Braeden Campbell has returned to Sydney’s lineup just in time to try and help them lock down second place on the ladder.
But as the club eyes Saturday’s Sydney derby with a GWS Giants side that have repeatedly proven their mettle against top-six teams, the 24-year-old says the issues plaguing the Swans en route to that goal aren’t simple fixes.
The livewire forward’s maiden outing of 2026 on Friday ended in heartbreak when Adelaide thwarted the Swans’ 27-point comeback to race away in the fourth quarter.
The defeat was Sydney’s third loss in four games and their first capitulation at the SCG in 2026.
Campbell notched one goal, three marks, three inside 50s and a solid 20 disposals on his return from nursing a shin stress fracture.
But the 24-year-old hardly troubled the statisticians on score involvements (three) or tackles inside 50 (zero) as the Swans struggled to apply forward counter-pressure against a suffocating Crows outfit.
“Just around the contest, especially in that last quarter and first half, we got beaten … both air and ground,” he told AAP after Friday’s fixture.
“Our tackling as well, our pressure (factor) was at 1.4 or 1.5 in the first quarter, so if we can lift that up, it’ll be massive for us.”
Those figures put the Swans between “corralling” and “chasing”, according to AFL statistics partner Champion Data – at best forcing rushed disposals rather than smothering or tackling.
“Adelaide were really good in that forward half game that they played and we really struggled to move it out of our defence,” Campbell said.
“We understand what we have to do to move forward.
“I wouldn’t say they’re easy fixes, but everyone knows how to fix them.”
A similar issue doomed Sydney against hot minor premiership favourites Fremantle the previous week, who from down-and-out romped to a 38-point victory which included a nine-goal final quarter.
Against Adelaide, the Swans managed to close a 27-point deficit in a scintillating third term, but Campbell affirmed they needed to find a way to keep their foot on the gas from first to final siren.
“We were doing all the things we wanted to do, we were winning the contest. I guess it comes down to that last quarter where we weren’t able to do so,” he said.
“We have to make it a four-quarter performance.”
The Giants will be itching to add slaying second-placed Sydney to an impressive rap sheet featuring shock upsets of Brisbane (fourth) and the Dockers (first).
But Campbell is just delighted to be playing footy again, however the next few weeks go.
“I just wanted to go back and enjoy what I was doing, just playing footy and going out with a smile on my face,” he said on Friday.
“I was having real fun out there … I’m happy to get through and just excited for what’s to come.”
AAP